Assistant Professor of Environmental Science

About the University

Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) enrolls over 16,000 students, where nearly 60% are first generation and over 55% are students of color. Located in downtown Denver, we are a designated Hispanic Serving Institution that also offers graduate programs (gHSI) and the only Seal of Excelencia certified institution in Colorado. As the third largest institution of higher education in Colorado and the only institution with an open access mission, MSU Denver is a model university for today's students. Through affordable, flexible, and holistic education, MSU Denver helps students build essential skills grounded in a multicultural and global perspective that lead to undergraduate and graduate degrees, and career and life success. The university values teaching first, with an emphasis on positive student-instructor interactions and high impact pedagogical practices that facilitate learning.

About the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences houses a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science with a Secondary Teaching License. In addition, we offer a minor in Environmental Science and are exploring options for an interdisciplinary online degree in environmental studies. The department is home to 10 tenure track faculty and 4 lecturers across four degree-granting programs. The candidate will complement the department's strengths in Geography and GIS, Environmental Science, Applied Geology, and Meteorology.

MSU Denver and the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences are committed to active and strategic initiatives in our work toward educational equity and promoting a culture of access and inclusion for our students, staff, and faculty. We seek to sustain an inclusive community where all individuals at MSU Denver and in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences are respected, feel a sense of belonging, and are provided proper resources and skillsets to be successful. This success is not limited to our humanities-focused education, but also to the broader development of our students as engaged citizens and valued contributors to the discipline, the community, and society.

Position Summary

The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at MSU Denver invites applications for a tenure track faculty position in Environmental Science (ENV) to expand the department's current strengths. The successful candidate would teach 24 credits each year beginning in fall 2025.

We seek candidates with expertise in biogeochemistry, terrestrial ecosystems focused on soils, vegetation, mountain environments, and ecological restoration. Additionally, we prefer candidates with the ability to teach climate change response and planning, and global resource use. The successful candidate will have a proven record of accomplishment of teaching excellence in both online and face-to-face formats, mentoring undergraduate research, and cultivating collaborations with local community partners, e.g., land managers, parks and open space partners, public municipalities, and private industry. In addition, the successful candidate should have experience with academic service.

MSU Denver has a robust mentoring program for tenure-track faculty. The candidate will be enrolled in the Roadrunner Faculty Academy during their first year. This is a year-long course designed to support new faculty to navigate faculty life and thrive in teaching, scholarly activity and service.

Responsibilities

The duties of the position entail:

• Teaching 24 credit hours per year (80%), which may include Introduction to Environmental Science, Soils (lecture and lab), Ecological Restoration, Mountain Environments, Wetlands, Limnology, and Field Studies (which is a senior experience/capstone course).
• Academic advising and career mentorship of undergraduate majors and minors.
• Mentorship and supervision of undergraduate research.
• Engaging in scholarly activities and professional development (10%), and service (10%) to the department, college, university, and/or community.

Required Qualifications

• Doctorate in Environmental Science or closely related discipline at the time of appointment. ABD applicants will be considered with evidence of degree conferral by the start of the fall 2025 semester in August.
• Ability to teach undergraduate courses in soils, terrestrial ecosystems, and/or ecological restoration as well as the senior capstone field studies course as evidenced by teaching experience, academic transcript, work experience, or other demonstrated experience.
• Ability to create an impactful undergraduate research program including community partnerships and collaborations.
• Ability to teach in online, hybrid, and face-to-face modalities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Evidence of ability to teach, or experience teaching, courses in one or more of the following areas: field data collection in terrestrial ecosystems; environmental science laboratory analysis using standard methods with equipment and instrumentation; additional courses in climate change and sustainable resource use
• Evidence of teaching experience in both online and face-to-face formats
• Demonstrated research experience in Environmental Science, Science of Teaching and Learning, or a related field, ideally with community collaborators
• Experience supervising undergraduate research or mentoring undergraduates in field research projects, Honors projects, and other independent projects
• Experience with a variety of field and laboratory equipment and instrumentation
• Evidence of, or interest in, course and curriculum development, specifically online learning
• The successful candidate must have the ability to work with the educational needs of a diverse urban population including (but not limited to) students of color, LBGTQIA students, students from low-income backgrounds, first-generation college students, students with disabilities, nontraditional students, student veterans, and English-language learners

We encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every preferred qualification. We are most interested in finding the candidate who will best contribute to our Department and the University.

Salary for Announcement

The salary range for this position is $65,000 - $75,000 at Assistant Professor rank. The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based upon a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, education, experience, specialty and training.

MSU Denver offers excellent benefits that include medical, dental, retirement, tuition benefit, free RTD pass, and more. For a brief overview of these options, please visit our Benefits section.

Instructions to Apply

Interested applicants must apply online at MSU Denver's career site, https://msudenver.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/MSUDenver and search for JR103770.

To help us evaluate your potential as a faculty member at MSU Denver, you must submit the following required materials:

• Curriculum vitae that includes names and contact information for three professional references
• Letter of application
• Statement of teaching philosophy highlighting teaching experience, pedagogical approach, and how you would engage a diverse student body in the classroom (2 pages maximum)
• Statement of undergraduate research plan including community collaborations (2 pages maximum)
• Copies of unofficial undergraduate and graduate transcripts

Due to volume of applications received, incomplete applications may not be reviewed; please ensure you have uploaded all required documents. Upload all required documents into the "Resume/Cover Letter" section of the application.

Ocial transcripts will be required of the candidate selected for hire.

Deadline

Applications accepted until position filled; priority given to applications received through 11:59 PM MST on Friday, May 9, 2025.

Open Until Filled

The University's benefits package is comprehensive and offers medical, vision and dental, free RTD pass, tuition reimbursement, as well as a life and supplemental insurance plans, retirement plans and other programs, such as accessto a long-term disability (LTD) plan.Visit MSU Denver'sbenefits websiteto learn more.

For a brief overview, please see: https://www.msudenver.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MSU-Benefit-Summary.pdf.

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at totalrewards@msudenver.edu.

Background Checks

Metropolitan State University of Denver is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students, and visitors. To Assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background checks on all finalists for positions at the University prior to employment.

Metropolitan State University of Denver is a unique, access-oriented campus community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms. Our student population consists of nearly 58% first generation students and over 50% students of color. We are a designated Hispanic Serving Institution located in downtown Denver.

We create an equitable learning and working environment in concert with individuals who consistently demonstrate commitment to equity and inclusion. We greatly value the diverse identities and perspectives of our students, faculty, and staff and recognize that in order to achieve a just and equitable society, diversity must go beyond simple representation. It requires critical inquiry and dialogue and a commitment to action. We strive to provide a culture of belonging for all community members to achieve personal and professional success.